Plantation Style Home Decorating

by Daria Kelly Uhlig

A four-poster bed combined with other dark woods against a white backdrop is typical for a plantation-style bedroom.

If your taste runs toward tropic-inspired but you're not keen on South Beach pastels, plantation style might be for you. Rooted in Britain's 17th-century invasion of the West Indies, plantation style combines heavier colonial elements with the lightness and brightness with which most people identify sea-inspired decor. You can recreate a plantation look in your own home with pieces you already have or can purchase inexpensively at import stores.

Background

According to Realtor.com, plantation style developed when English, Dutch and French colonists settled in the East and West Indies as well as African and Southeast Asian locales. Formal furnishings accompanied European travelers to these hot, humid climates, but the woods typically used to create them were unavailable or undesirable because they failed to hold up in tropical humidity. The colonists began to craft furniture using local woods. Indigenous residents added their carvings to the pieces to create a style that combined traditional European design with tropical motifs.

Hallmarks of Plantation Style

Plantation style combines rich, dark-stained woods, such as mahogany and teak, with white or pale, cool-colored walls. Upholstery tends to be overstuffed and cozy. Natural fibers on walls, floors and window treatments add texture and interest. Modern plantation style is clean and uncluttered. The dark furniture anchors the room, notes designer Tracy Steyn, while whites and neutrals keep things fresh and light.

Where to Use Plantation Style

Plantation style is as much at home in a formal, English-inspired room as it is in a casual, seaside retreat, according to Realtor.com. The overall feel is that of being on vacation in an exotic location. Any room where you want hints of formality without sacrificing warmth, brightness and comfort makes an excellent candidate for plantation style.

Designing Your Plantation Room

Start your plantation design with your furniture. If you don't have dark wood pieces, Steyn recommends refinishing light colored ones with a dark stain to anchor the room. Next, choose the wall color. Although white is the traditional color used, you can experiment with light, cool neutrals, blues and greens. Natural fibers such as sisal and grass cloth work well as floor treatments. Keep curtains and other fabrics light and breezy. Consider wood blinds or plantation shutters as well. Accessorize your plantation room with lots of green, leafy plants, ceiling fans, topical- and botanical-themed art and vintage travel memorabilia such as trunks and postcards. Use bright, warm colors such as red and coral sparingly, and in small doses.

About the Author

Daria Kelly Uhlig began writing professionally for websites in 2008. She is a licensed real-estate agent who specializes in resort real estate rentals in Ocean City, Md. Her real estate, business and finance articles have appeared on a number of sites, including Motley Fool, The Nest and more. Uhlig holds an associate degree in communications from Centenary College.

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